May NPD: PS3 up and PS2 out; GTA IV in and CoD 4 out

by Christopher Grant { Jun 12th 2008 at 7:41PM }

This month's NPD report was greeted with a collective "Huh" upon its arrival at Joystiq HQ. Not because the PS3 is way up or because the Wii showed the greatest loss, but for a handful of other reasons. First, after some seven plus years in the North American market, the PS2 has finally been removed from the official NPD results ... in the same month that the PS2 version of craptacular movie-to-game cashgrab Iron Man made the top ten. Stay golden, little PlayStation ... stay golden ...

Also making us tilt our heads quizzicaly: the totally missing hardware boost for the two Grand Theft Auto IV-capable consoles. While the PlayStation 3 saw a very welcome 11.5% boost, it hardly accounts for the nearly half-million copies of the game that were sold on the platform. And though the Xbox 360 release of GTA IV easily outsold the PS3 version by a margin of nearly two-to-one, sales of that console remained relatively flat from last month.

Lastly, where's Call of Duty 4? Infinity Ward's superb shooter has been a staple of the NPD charts since its release in November and now, for the first time, it didn't make the top ten. Makes sense: after selling over ten million copies, people have to stop buying it some day. Nevertheless, we'd like to dedicate these colored arrows to its memory: Call of Duty 4, you've served with honor!

- Wii: 675.1K

39.1K (-5.5%)
- DS: 452.6K

37.8K (+9.1%)
- PS3: 208.7K

21.6K (+11.5%)
- PSP: 182.3K

10.4K (-5.4%)
- X360: 186.6K

1.4K (-0.7%)
- PS2: Update: Sony sent the numbers along! 132.7K

8.3K (+6.7%)

You'll find the top ten in software sales after the break.

May Software

1. GTA IV – Xbox 360 – 871.3K*
2. Mario Kart Wii – Wii – 787.4K
3. Wii Fit (w/ Balance Board) – Wii – 687.7K
4. GTA IV – PS3 – 442.9K
5. Wii Play w/ remote – Wii – 294.6K
6. Super Smash Bros. Brawl – Wii – 171.1K
7. Iron Man – PS2 – 130.6K
8. Guitar Hero III – Wii – 116.8K
9. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness – DS – 107K
10. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time – DS – 102K

Tags: BreakingNews, NPD

Related From Joystiq

Enterbrain: Wii sells 9 million in Japan, PS3 sells 4 million
12 days ago
November NPD: Modern Warfare 2 sells 6 million, DS dominates hardware
17 days ago
Grand Theft Auto franchise may have 'peaked,' according to analyst
21 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 12th 2008 7:46PM

Nintendomination: Both hardware and software.

=p

Razor210 @ Jun 12th 2008 7:54PM

Sure, but that PS3 spike there looks pretty nice, doesn't it?

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 12th 2008 7:48PM

and in actual next gen news it seems the ps3 takes the top spot for last month. Surprising little spike there.

Joe @ Jun 12th 2008 7:52PM

You know, as disappointed as I am in the paltry selection of solid Wii games, it makes me happy to see Nintendo do this well, just for the fact that so many people said they were finished after the load of crap that was the Gamecube...

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 12th 2008 7:51PM

ok jordan

Whatever you say.

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 12th 2008 7:52PM

Things to be noticed:

WiiFit is supply constrained. They are already sending emails (I just received a Best Buy and Circuit City mail), and WiiFit and Wii's will be available next Sunday. Also to be noticed: its a $90 dlls bundle.

Guitar Hero Wii is showing extremely glong legs: Its only 100,000 behind the 360 version, but, Wii owners doesnt have the advantage of buying the game alone, only the bundle. We will see some impressive numbers with the Wii version of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and some very good numbers with Rock Band Wii too.

OMGOMG @ Jun 12th 2008 7:55PM

Things I noticed: Half of the games in the top 10 on the Wii are minigame collections (yes, Wii Fit is a bunch of minigames).

el serpiente @ Jun 12th 2008 7:54PM

Don't cry fernandoes, he didn't mean to hurt you.

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jun 12th 2008 7:58PM

I want to see you suffer from a heart attack whenever that domination is broken. : D

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jun 12th 2008 8:00PM

I don't mean it in a malicious way but it'd be funny to see how you'd do once Nintendo loses their domination (if ever!?!?)

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 12th 2008 8:02PM

Ninja

I don't think thats going to happen anytime soon. And no, MGS4 will not move enough hardware to beat the Wii next month.

DangerMouse @ Jun 12th 2008 8:07PM

^I'll happen when Nintendomeintheass runs out of gimmicks.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 12th 2008 8:07PM

No it likely won't. It's hard to outsell a primitive, $250 console aimed at people with lets face it, terrible terrible taste when you're pushing out a next gen console (or now gen, whatever) at a $300-$500 price point. I'd say between microsoft and sony they're both doing pretty damn well, and they both get to keep their integrity on top of it.

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 12th 2008 8:10PM

But according to you PS3 fanboys (you can read a lot of old posts) the $400 dlls for a PS3 is a lot value. It has Bluray, WiFi, etc, etc.... and yet, people want the PS3 to drop price, again. So, people is not seeing a lot of value.

And according to some of you guys, the Wii is overpriced at $250, but yet, the people buy Wii's at $400, the same price as the PS3.

Besides, price is not a factor. The Gamecube was a much powerful and cheaper console than the PS2, and people bought the PS2 more, even with a higer price and a less powerful hardware.

So yes, even though it uses less expensive components and costs less to build, the Wii has greater value than the feature-crammed PS3 does to a normal consumer.

Price should not be a factor, specially if the PS3 is according to you guys, the most advanced console ever.

Markez (MKWii 4339-2878-5120) @ Jun 12th 2008 8:11PM

Nando I saw Guitar Hero: Aerosmith in your above post and threw up in my mouth a little. Lamest and shittiest band ever, what a horrible stupid crappy decision to make that game. I understand there will be other bands in it, but oh god. Uhhh I'm gonna need a bucket.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 12th 2008 8:15PM

The gamecube may have had more "potential" power, but no one save for factor 5 really bothered to use it. Numbers only get you so far, you gotta execute as well and that's why xbox and ps2 games looked much better.

Razor210 @ Jun 12th 2008 8:16PM

@ Fernando
The reason why people want the price to drop more is because their fanboyism is looking for reasons as for why the PS3 sucks.

And yes, the Wii is overpriced at $250. It sure as hell does not cost even 200 bucks to make one, even at launch.

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 12th 2008 8:18PM

SDF is really good at Dr. Spin... but thats it. Just spin, not reality.

Keep bashing please.

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jun 12th 2008 8:23PM

Only parents will buy a Wii at $400 to shut their fucking kids up with their whining. ; )
-----------------------------------------------

Child: Dad, can I have a Wii please? I saw it at Jeremy's house and the games were so cool and with the shaking of my arms and stuff, I'm so pumped! Buy it please please please??????

Dad: Son, I can't find one anywhere if I tried, its all sold out, sorry.

Child: But Dad, come on, I need a Wii NOW! Or I'll die, you don't want me to die do ya? I'm your precious little baby boy Dad, get one for me please?

Dad: Fine, I'm going, god! Stupid snot-nosed little shit.

:Goes to a back-alley and buys a Wii for $400.

Dad: Here's your fucking Wii, now don't bother me for a long time and this is coming out of your college fund by the way boy!

:Child too busy waggling arms to hear Dad:

Dad: I guess its worth it for the peace around the house, GOD!!!

gabe @ Jun 12th 2008 8:29PM

somebody takes video games way too fucking seriously.. if the wii is so fucking good why are you always on joystiq bashing the PS3? your a very strange fucking nerd.

TwEE @ Jun 12th 2008 8:31PM

The anti-nintendo kids have no idea why the wii is such an success.. Judging by the fear and bile in their comments it must be very frustrating for them.

Anonim @ Jun 12th 2008 8:47PM

LOLOLOL at Patcher "predictions"
The ANALyst

2 months ago
Patcher : PS3>X360
REALITY : X360>PS3

1 months ago
Patcher : PS3>X360
REALITY : X360>PS3

NOW:
Patcher (I f@@@ up 2 times - time to change or they will now I flip the coin!)
Patcher : X360>PS3
REALITY : PS3>X360

:)

Co @ Jun 12th 2008 10:10PM

This dude over at IGN summed it up best in the comments section, so I'm just going to cut and paste his remarks here for all you bastards:

Doesn't surprise me at at all. As gamers have grown up, we've started to grow out of the immature blood violence games (Yeah the games are rated M, but this in no way describes the people who play those sorts of games). Wii will obviously and easily continue demolishing the Xbox and PS3. It almost seems that the Xbox 360 is beginning to saturate at around 10 million units in North America, it's top market; of course, Wii has hit 10 million and it's just getting started.

The products that us old time gamers (those of us who started with the NES) are looking for nowadays are what Nintendo is delivering. That's why Nintendo is crushing the competition combined in hardware and software sales.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 12th 2008 10:32PM

So you're looking for tired, archaic rehashed games time after time again? Why not just play the Snes versions then? Jeez thank god sony and microsoft don't think like you people do otherwise gaming would have never progressed past simplistic children's toys.

Evan @ Jun 12th 2008 11:14PM

@Co
The "dude over at IGN" pretty much described me and my opinion.

All types of gamers bought PS2s last generation, so it was impossible to count the true numbers of "hardcore", "old-timers", "casual", and "kids/family" gamers. Somehow, people assumed the vocal "hardcore" dominated when Grand Theft Auto III became the top selling PS2 game, even though only about 10% of PS2 owners bought the game.

GTA IV has a much higher software-to-hardware ratio than GTA III, which proves that you don't need 120 million "hardcore" gamers to account for 12 million copes of the game sold. It appears that everyone over-estimated the number of "hardcore" gamers during the PS2 generation.

emaxximus @ Jun 12th 2008 11:33PM

I don't get it Fernando, if the wii is so entertaining how do you find the time to post comments on blogs all damn day? Either you are getting paid to do so, or you have the lamest life of anyone I've ever heard of.

Mal F4cti0n @ Jun 13th 2008 12:12AM

Wow!

And in other NPD news, Fernando Jackass has first post about some inane Nintendo comment.

Just shut up, numbers speak for themselves, you don't need to add your stupid comments that just piss people off.

Who really cares what sells better anyway? If 10 million stupid people buy something but the games suck, well the games still f*cking suck, don't they?

Give me one good game (THAT I CAN EASILY PLAY MUTLIPLAYER ON TOO) on the Wii? I bought one and totaly regret it! I got sick of Mario Kart after a week. WIthout multiplayer the game is just like playing the N64 version!

Vidikron (FU) @ Jun 13th 2008 2:12AM

@Co

"we've started to grow out of the immature blood violence games (Yeah the games are rated M, but this in no way describes the people who play those sorts of games)."

I don't think that's the case at all. In reality, since the Wii is relatively cheap, the Wii has become everyone's second console. Even many of us that are quite disappointed with the crap games have Wiis. Then the Wii has managed to pull in some previously non-gamers by creating a bunch of crap like WiiFit. It's literally becomes impossible to catch the Wii when a large percentage of those that own the 360 or PS3 also own the Wii. You need look no further than the sales of games like CoD4 and GTAIV to see that people still enjoy violent games. The very idea that people would "out grow" those is pretty freaking stupid.

samfish @ Jun 13th 2008 8:54AM

Haha- I can't help but laugh at the Wii hating kids. Keep that elitism up, kiddos...it's gotten you this far, I guess.

Mr Khan @ Jun 13th 2008 12:24PM

lol, here we go again

Next someone will be propping up the argument "It's their gift to US to be selling us a $500 console at a loss!"

Please

SimbaDogg @ Jun 13th 2008 4:58PM

Shuttup...you talk to much

OMGOMG @ Jun 12th 2008 7:50PM

XBOTS!!! HAHAHA!!!

PS3 outsold you M$ hahahahahahahahahahah!!

What are you going to do about it Bill Gates??

Ahahahahaha

/Sony Defense Force

CIA @ Jun 12th 2008 7:54PM

Yeah, at this rate of outsellage the PS3 should pass the 360, in what, 2020?

Magetto @ Jun 12th 2008 7:54PM

Good for Sony...I guess?

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 12th 2008 7:56PM

For real: at this rate, worlwide sales, it will take the PS3 almost 3 years to reach the 360.

OMGOMG @ Jun 12th 2008 7:57PM

@CIA

Right in time for the XBOX 900.

007craft @ Jun 13th 2008 12:57PM

yeah lol. And people are buying ps2 in preperation for MGS4. Once august comes, numbers will be behind the 360 yet again. Then MS will have too human coming out along with GOW2, VP2, BK3, + all those other Ms line up games in novemeber, the ps3 will once again be behind.

Im surpries that the wii is still selling so well. Seems every number it grows more and more rvrty month despite the lack of quality games in the pipeline.

Then again, that first 50 cent game sold over a million copies, so the public will buy just about anything.

007craft @ Jun 12th 2008 8:00PM

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jun 12th 2008 8:00PM

For a system that has cost more, had much negative press, its pretty damn good given the circumstances wouldn't you say? : )

Razor210 @ Jun 12th 2008 8:02PM

I think the difference between the PS3 and 360 is going to increase. I mean, there's MGS4, the next-gen version of Socom is coming out, and LittleBigPlanet and Resistance 2 are coming in the fall.

AoE @ Jun 12th 2008 8:04PM

"What are you going to do about it Bill Gates??"

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess he's going to continue to enjoy semi-retirement.

C'mon dude, I know the SDF can be better rabble-rousers than this! You do a disservice to the rest of the SDF when you make such silly remarks; I think even the rest of the SDF would agree with me when I say you've made a poor showing on their behalf. Never mind the fact that you're using actual sales data instead of blind fanboyism to make your point. No, your true mistake was talking shit to management that's long gone. Nowadays Steve Balmer is the dude at MS to call out if you want to call management by name. He's far more enjoyable a target too; even MS fanboys make fun of Balmer. Be careful SDF management doesn't come and take your fanboy membership away from you... if you're not careful you might get stuck with a Wii...

severian00 @ Jun 12th 2008 8:43PM

I'm a little confused, even though the PS3 showed an increase vs. the 360's decrease, according to the numbers next to the systems the 360 still outsold the PS3 186.6k to 182.3k so why is it in 4th place on the list? You guys should look at the numbers before commenting.

OMGOMG @ Jun 12th 2008 9:26PM

Two things:

I was kidding about the SDF comment.

Severian: That's the PSP numbers you were looking at. The 360 and PSP spots need to be switched.

WRE (PSN: WorstReviewEver; Gamertag: HaloKissesBoys; Wii Friend Code: 4204-4590-6106-3583) @ Jun 12th 2008 10:20PM

Ninja,
No, it's not good. Sony fucked up so badly with their stupid "PR" comments and price points that they alienated a huge part of what should have been a no-brainer 120,000,000 previous customer cash-in. The last time that Nintendo screwed up it wasn't to the tune of an install-base quite that large and even then people were saying that they should just make software from that point on. Sony is in a very bad place right now and anyone saying otherwise is clearly delusional.

E.J. @ Jun 12th 2008 10:24PM

Without the fanboy tone, I'm glad to see the PS3 getting some traction. Devs should see this as a sign to give the PS3 some love. I'm getting tired of only playing MLB 08 The Show and the downloadables.

As a 360 owner as well, I'm glad GTA IV is selling well on 360: more people to play with online!

Matt @ Jun 12th 2008 10:35PM

Yep, and like I've been saying for a couple months, we haven't even seen the significant 360 price drops. If you really want to know, that's Microsoft's next move. $299 Pro System and possibly Elite. That along with quality exclusives like Gears 2, Fable 2, Halo Wars, etc, will get them in a perfectly good position over the next year and a half until 720 launches holiday 2010.